Refrigerator latch



Nov. 26, 1935. M. J. GOULOOZE REFRIGERATOR LATCH Original Filed Dec. 10,1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I N VEN TOR.

/4 J Gal/booze,

ATTORNE Patented Nov. 26, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATORLATCH Original application December 10, 1930, Serial No.

501,198. Divided and this application September 16, 1931, Serial No.563,122

2 Claims. (Cl. 292--255) This invention relates to refrigerationapparatus and more particularly to improvements in refrigeratorcabinets. The present invention is a division of my copendingapplication Serial No. 501,198, for Refrigerator, filed December 10,1930, now Patent No. 1,955,910.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a refrigeratorcabinet in which the parts subjected to contact with ice or othercooling media are readily removable.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a refrigeratorcabinet having means associated with the refrigerating compartment forcontrolling the moisture forming on the walls thereof.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a refrigeratorcabinet having a continuous inner lining forming common walls for therefrigerating and refrigerated compartments.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a refrigeratorcabinet having means whereby the doors providing access thereto may beopened through the operation of a foot pedal.

In the drawings:

- Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a refrigerator cabinetembodying this invention in which the door to the refrigeratingcompartment has been removed and parts are broken away to show theconstruction and arrangement of that compartment.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of a refrigerator cabinetshowing the details of the door opening mechanism employed in practisingthis invention.

Figure 4 is a front fragmentary elevational view of the refrigeratorcabinet structure shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view of a refrigerator cabinet showing ahinge, with parts broken away, employed in practising this invention.

The refrigerator cabinet l embodying this invention comprises a pair ofspaced metallic shells I I and I2. The inner shell II forms a continuousinner lining for the cabinet and is constructed from a single sheet ofmetal. The outer shell I2 consists of five separate sheets of metalincluding two vertical side walls, a vertical rear wall, a horizontalbottom wall and a horizontal top wall. These several sections of theouter shell I2 are joined together in a suitable manner to provide arelatively continuous sealed shell. Suitable insulating material I3 isdisposed between the shells II and I2.

The front of the cabinet is provided with a frame structure comprising apair of horizontally disposed frame members l4 positioned at the top andbottom of the cabinet, and a vertical frame member l positioned midwaybetween the side 5 walls and Joined to the horizontally disposed framemembers. A metallic covering corresponding in finish to the outer shellI2 is provided for the frame members. The cabinet is supported by fourlegs l6 positioned at th respective corners of the cabinet.

The interior of the cabinet is divided into refrigerated compartments l1and I8 and a refrigerating compartment Ill. The refrigerated compartmentI1 is separated from the refrigerating compartment l9 by a removablepartition suspended from a rod 2| spaced from the top wall of thecabinet and secured to the rear wall I I and the vertical frame memberl5. The refrigerated compartment I8 is separated from the refrigerat- 20ing compartment l9 by a partition 22 which is of metal construction andhas a centrally disposed opening therein. The outer edges and the edgeadjacent the centrally disposed opening are flnaged as indicated at 23and 24. The partition 22 is 25 supported by a pair of angle irons 25secured in position on the front frame member and rear wall of thecabinet by screws 26 and bolts 21. The angle iron at the front of thecabinet is positioned slightly above the angle iron secured to the rearwall. A drip pan 28 of similar construction to the partition 22 ispositioned above that partition and has its centrally disposed openingregistering with the similar opening in the partition 22. Disposedbetween the partition 22 and the drip pan 23 and forming a reinforcingsupport for the horizontal portions thereof are a pair of supportingblocks 29. The drip pan 28 is provided with a drain spout 30 adjacentits rear edge. The drain spout 30 communicates with a drain pipe 3|which extends through the bottom wall of the cabinet and communicateswith any suitable waste receptacle, not shown.

An ice rack 32 is supported upon the horizontal portion of the drip pan28. The ice rack 32 consists of a pair of base irons 33 having theiropposite ends made U-shaped with a horizontal portion between, a pair ofbrace rods 34 secured to the horizontal portions and the flangedextremities of the base irons, and a corrugated shelf 35 supported uponthe brace rods 34. The corrugations of the shelf 35 run from the frontto the rear so that moisture collecting thereon will drain towards therear of the refrigerator.

A metallic'apron 36 having its lower extremity the point where thehorizontal partition sepairating the refrigerating compartment and therefrigerated compartment was secured in position in order to provideadequate supporting means for the horizontal partition and to preventmoisture condensed on the walls of the refrigerating compartment fromrunning down the walls into the refrigerated compartment.

A galvanized baflie plate 38 having a suitably formed lower extremityadapted to hold it in position against the rear inner wall of therefrigerating compartment is provided for the protection of that wallfrom injury due to carelessness when placing ice in the compartment.

The removable vertical partition separating the refrigeratingcompartment from the refrigerated compartment abuts the partition 22 andhas its lower extremity somewhat below that partition. The partition 20is folded back upon itself, as indicated at 39, along a horizontal lineadjacent the lower edge of the drip pan 28. The lower extremity of thefold 39 projects into the drip pan 28. By this construction moisturecollecting either on the inside of the removable partition 20 or theoutside thereof drains into the drip pan 28. The shell ll forming theinner lining for the cabinet has a raised bead 9 along a vertical lineextending from the top wall to a point below the apron 36. The bead ispositioned in the refrigerated compartment immediately adjacent theremovable partition 20. This bead prevents the flow of moisture,collected on the wall of the refrigerating compartment,

- into the refrigerated compartment. The partition 20 carries aplurality of shelf supports 6 which project into the refrigeratedcompartment l1. These supports cooperate with similar supportspositioned on the opposite side of the compartment IT to support aplurality of removable food shelves, not shown. v

From the above description it will be seen that provision has been madeto positively prevent the moisture which necessarily collects on thewalls of the refrigerating compartment from getting into therefrigerated compartment, thus insuring cleanliness in the lattercompartment and control over the waste water in the refrigeratingcompartment. It will also be apparent that suitable means for supportinga horizontal partition adapted to sustain the weight of an adequatesupply of ice is provided without necessitating a break in the verticalwalls of the cabinet.

One of the most common complaints in respect to refrigerators by theusers thereof is to the effect that it is diflicult to keep them cleanand to prevent the sediment deposited by melting" ice from producing anodor in the refrigerator. To eliminate this cause, for complaintapplicant has provided a removable partition 22, a removable drip pan28, a removable ice rack 32 and a removable baflie plate 38. Each ofthese parts of the refrigerating compartment which comes in contact withthe ice or the sediment deposited from its melting may be removed andcleaned by any suitable method and replaced without any appreciableeffort. I

The space between the top of the removable partition 20 and the top wallof the refrigerator 5 cabinet, and the centrally .disposed openings inthe removable partition 2 and the drip pan 2! provide means for thecirculation of air from the refrigerated compartment through therefrigerating compartment and back into the refrigerated 10 compartment.The ice rack 32 positioned over the centrally disposed opening in thepartition 22 and the drip pan 29 prevents moisture or sediment frompassing through this opening while at the same time offering noobstruction to the ready flow of the circulating air therethrough.

The cabinet III is provided with suitable doors 40 for securely closingthe structure. In Figure 1 the door to the refrigerating compartment andthe refrigerated compartment I! has been re- 20 moved tomore clearlyshow the interior of the refrigerating compartment and the wallconstruction adjacent thereto. The doors are suspended on hinges 4| bymeans of which the doors may be swung open outwardly. The doors aresecured in a closed position by means of a suitable door latch mechanism42. The latch mechanism consists of a latch catch or keeper 43 securedto the upright frame member l5, a latch lever 44 enclosed in a latchhousing 45 secured to the door 49, and a latch handle 48 for operatingthe latch lever 44.

Prior to this invention it has been necessary for a housewife using arefrigerator to have one hand free to open the refrigerator door. Thishas been a source of considerable inconvenience and annoyance tohousewives who have occasion to use their refrigerators frequentlybecause they are obliged to make a separate trip to the refrigeratorwith each article to be placed therein, or to provide shelf space nearthe refrigerator to be used as a depository for articles to besubsequently placed in the refrigerator. This invention provides dooropening mechanism for a refrigerator which may be operated by pressingdownwardly on a foot pedal. The door opening mechanism consists of anoperating lever 41 positioned partly within the vertical frame member I5and pivoted at 48 to the latch catch or keeper 43. One end of the lever4'! projects outwardly from the vertical member l5 and is adapted toengage the latch lever 44 when moved vertically. An upward movement ofthe outer extremity of the lever 41 unseats the latch lever 44 andpermits the door 40 to be swung outwardly. The opposite end 55 of thelever 41 which projects into the interior of the vertical frame memberI5 is pivotally connected to a rod 49 concealed within the verticalframe member l5 in a longitudinal channel 50 provided for that purpose.The lower extremity 0 of the rod 49 is pivotally connected to a footpedal 5| which is itself pivotally connected at 52 to a supporting post53 secured to the bottom wall of the refrigerator cabinet by means ofscrews 54. The foot pedal 5| is operated by means of pressure suppliedas for example by the refrigerator user's foot on a downwardly andoutwardly extending projection 55. When a downward pressure is appliedto the foot pedal 5| the operating lever 41 through means of the rod 49releases the latch lever 44 and the door is free to swing open. Suitablemeans for normally holding the operating lever 41 in a position thatwill not interfere with the operation of the latch mechanism by means ofthe latch handle 46, is provided for in the form of a spring I. havingone end thereof secured to the foot pedal ii at 51 and the other end. tothe bottom wall of the refrigerator cabinet by screws 51. The tension ofthe spring 56 holds the foot pedal 5|, the rod 49, and the operatinglever 41 in the positions shown in Figures 3 and 4' except whendistorted by a downward pressure on the projecting arm 55.

From the foregoing it will be observed that by pressing downwardly onthe foot pedal ii the latch lever 44 will be released and the door 40will be free to swing outwardly. Means for causing the door to swingoutwardly when the latch 44 is released is provided for in the form of acoil spring 59 associated with one of the hinges 4i. One end of thespring 59 is rigidly secured to the stationary part of the hinge 4|associated with the cabinet wall while the other end of the spring issecured under compression to the movable part of the hinge. when thelatch 44 is released the spring causes the door to swing outwardly.

I claim:

1. In combination, a keeper adapted to receive a movable door latchbolt, means for rigidly securing thekeeper to a door Jamb frame. saidkeeper being provided with a recessed portion whereby said keeper may bedisposed in aligntion of said door Jamb frame for connection with anactuating member operable therein.

2. In combination, a keeper adapted to receive a movable door latchbolt, means for rigidly se- 10 curing the keeper to a door iamb frame,saidkeeper being provided with a recessed portion whereby said keepermay be disposed in alignment with a hollow portion of a door jamb frame,movable means pivotally supported in said keeper and insertable intosaid hollow portion of a door Jamb frame for connection with an actuatinmember operable therein, a foot pedal for operating said actuatingmember and said pivoted movable means, and a spring for maintaining saidmovable means in normal position when the latch is freed from saidkeeper by auxiliary means.

mn'rm J. oounoozu.

